I'll freeze just about anything, but I've never thought about egg whites. I just set my egg whites in a Tupperware on top of the egg carton in the refrigerator & hope I'll remember to use them. Thanks!
– JustRightMenusJul 18 '10 at 2:41

@hobodave: yeah that was what I was implying. I knew about how egg in shell + microwave = explosion, but wasn't aware the same happens in the freezer! :)
– Daniel VandersluisAug 12 '10 at 20:44

@hobodave: I think it's ambiguous regarding the shells. I don't see anything that implies leaving them in their shells.
– Dennis WilliamsonAug 13 '10 at 0:47

What if you poked the shell like some do when steaming them?
– OcaasiAug 13 '10 at 0:14

9

My wife is going to kill me for attempting to spectacularly explode an egg in the freezer tomorrow.
– stephennmcdonaldAug 13 '10 at 2:37

I really can't imagine it being a big explosion. It will be frozen, that's why it breaks the shell. Let us know.
– hobodaveAug 13 '10 at 10:20

1

My eggs froze outside at ~3 degrees F; unspectacular, just one or two cracks each - and the membrane inside the shell remained intact; when they thawed there was no leaking. I asked a question about what to do with these, though, because the egg yolks were indeed gelatainous. cooking.stackexchange.com/q/10280/3418
– David LeBauerDec 19 '10 at 0:55

You can freeze egg yolks but you need to add something to the mix, otherwise the yolks become gelatinous and unusable. Typically adding a small amount of salt or sugar to the beaten yolks should prevent this from happening.

If you're going to use the egg yolks without freezing them you'll typically need to use them the same day. I sprinkle a little water over them before covering and putting in the fridge to help keep them from drying on top.

You can freeze them but you'll need to add corn syrup (or make a simple syrup of sugar and water) and stir it into them before freezing. You'll need to use about 1/4 teaspoon per egg yolk.

Egg yolks cannot just be frozen on their own because the water in them freezes and causes the proteins to form tight clumps. The result is that when they are thawed they have firm gelatinous texture. I've tried the salt and sugar recommendations alone and find that they don't work, probably because neither has a chance to really dissolve and act to keep the water and proteins combined.

Using the corn syrup will ensure that it is evenly blended through (provided that you stir it in well). When I make an angel food cake I will do this by adding 2 tablespoons of corn syrup to a cups worth of egg yolks (about 12). Divide it into smaller containers though as you'll just waste it if you freeze it in batches bigger than you're likely to need. 1 tablespoon of the mixture is roughly equivalent to 1 yolk. You'll of course have to use it in recipes that would be sweetened such as custards, ice cream, etc.

Eggs can't read calendars and so the expiration date is only a guide. Properly handled, they will keep just fine for several weeks or longer past their expiration date. Their quality will slowly diminish primarily due to water loss. You can judge the age of an egg by placing it uncooked in a glass of water. The larger the air cell, the more internal water has been lost, and the egg will stand more upright at the bottom of the glass. If the egg is rotten, it may float. Don't leave the egg in the water, of course.

An egg that's been around a little while (it's usually long enough by the time you buy them at the grocery store) will make peeling boiled eggs easier than if you use eggs fresh from the hen.

There may be some recipes that are more sensitive to an egg's age, but I wouldn't use frozen eggs in them anyway.

I made a perfectly good sabayon (zabaglione) with unbeaten frozen egg yolks that I hadn't mixed anything into - I just put them in a cup and into the freezer. But maybe I got lucky, as I've also read elsewhere that adding sugar or a bit of corn flour (corn starch) helps.

With properly pasteurized eggs, and good handling when separating and storing your egg whites, yes they can. I actually buy tubs of real egg white that lasts for several weeks. I do think they do an extra pasteurization step, so home results will likely be inferior.
– hobodaveJul 15 '10 at 15:49